Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 46

Devanagari script

ततो गृहीत्वा मुशलं हलं च बलवान्हली । जघान दैत्यप्रवरान्कालानलयमोपमान्

Transliteration

tato gṛhītvā muśalaṃ halaṃ ca balavānhalī | jaghāna daityapravarānkālānalayamopamān

Translation

Then the mighty Hali (Saṃkarṣaṇa), taking up the mace and the plough, struck down the foremost of the Daityas—terrible as the fire of Time at the end of the age.

Word by Word

• ततः: then
• ततः: Sambandha (Temporal/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक अव्यय — ‘then’

• गृहीत्वा: having taken
• गृहीत्वा: Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ग्रह् (धातु) → गृहीत्वा (क्त्वान्त)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययीभावरूप क्रियाविशेषण (gerund) — Absolutive ‘having taken’

• मुशलम्: club/mace
• मुशलम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुशल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन — Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• हलम्: plough (weapon)
• हलम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन — Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय — conjunction

• बलवान्: mighty
• बलवान्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: बलवत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन — Masculine, Nominative, Singular; विशेषण of ‘हली’

• हली: the plough-bearer (Balarāma)
• हली: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हली (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन — Masculine, Nominative, Singular (epithet of बलराम)

• जघान: struck/killed
• जघान: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: हन् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (परोक्षभूत), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन — Perfect, 3rd person, Singular

• दैत्य-प्रवरान्: the foremost of the Daityas
• दैत्य-प्रवरान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दैत्य (प्रातिपदिक) + प्रवर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया विभक्ति, बहुवचन — Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• काल-अनल-यम-उपमान्: like Death-Time, Fire, and Yama
• काल-अनल-यम-उपमान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: काल (प्रातिपदिक) + अनल (प्रातिपदिक) + यम (प्रातिपदिक) + उपमान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया विभक्ति, बहुवचन; विशेषण of ‘दैत्य-प्रवरान्’ — Masculine, Accusative, Plural; ‘having likeness to Kāla, Fire, and Yama’

Speaker

Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa) narrating

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Dvārakā

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Ṛṣis of Naimiṣāraṇya (typical frame)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Saṃkarṣaṇa (Balarāma), towering and radiant, lifts the muśala (mace) and lāṅgala (plough) and smites daitya-chiefs; the impact is likened to the world-ending fire.

Characters & Entities

• Halī (Balarāma/Saṃkarṣaṇa)
• Daitya
• Kāla
• Yama

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Protection of sacred order may require decisive strength; divine power upholds dharma when adharma becomes violent.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Dvārakā, shown as defended by Saṃkarṣaṇa (Balarāma), reinforcing its status as a divinely protected sacred city.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; the verse emphasizes divine action in battle.